Mayor Turner's senior advisor Keith Wade dies of COVID-19, congresswoman says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Mayor Sylvester Turner's senior advisor Keith Wade passed away Thursday night due to COVID-19.

According to a tweet posted by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Wade "battled this vicious virus without complaint."

"He will be deeply missed," she wrote. "We are praying for his family and we hope that all will be comforted by the many memories we have with him and the many successes of his life."

In a statement released by the mayor's office, Turner said Wade was instrumental in various campaigns in all levels of government.

"Keith and I go back 46 years, to our days on the campus of the University of Houston," wrote Turner. "After I was speaker of the student government, he was president. Our journey in politics started on the UH campus. Throughout his life, Keith championed the causes of labor, people who have been disenfranchised and he advocated for the rights of people to vote."

Wade most recently worked on Turner's 2019 re-election campaign and served as a special advisor to both Turner and Mayor Annise Parker.

Spokesperson for the mayor's office Mary Benton said Wade has not been to city hall in more than a month. She added that special advisors don't necessarily work at city hall every day and mainly work on special projects at the direction of the mayor.

"There would be no reason for the mayor to go into quarantine or any other city employee unless they had direct contact with him and exhibiting symptoms," said Benton.

Turner got tested for COVID-19 last week along with the rest of the members of city council.